Genealogical Researching on a Budget

Caron Primas Brennan had an article "Genealogical Researching on a Budget" that was published as the Technical Insert #216 in the Illinois Heritage Association November-December 2018 newsletter.  It went to all Illinois Heritage Association member museums and historical societies as well as other libraries and archives, preservation groups, genealogical societies, some tourism organizations, and other cultural heritage organizations in Illinois.

The article includes information on researching genealogy on-line for no charge, using free databases or subscription databases used through libraries.  It covers looking for people, graves and obituaries, photographs, immigration, maps, newspapers and general resources.  It also includes US and international sites.

Check with your local library or historical society to see if they have a copy.  Or you can contact the Illinois Heritage Association (https://illinoisheritage.org) or Caron Brennan at Your Cousin Caron to request a copy.

Illinois Heritage Association

The Illinois Heritage Association perpetuates the history and heritage of Illinois by providing professional services to educational institutions, local government bodies and nonprofit agencies. It recognizes the contribution of people and nature to the shaping of the cultural heritage of the state of Illinois. In furthering such purposes, the Illinois Heritage Association researches and documents the history of Illinois, makes available the services of qualified personnel to assist with the needs of agencies entrusted with the perpetuation of Illinois history, provides educational services and benefits to the public, and builds coalitions with other groups that have similar objectives.

Aid to museums, libraries, and preservation organizations is at the core of the Illinois Heritage Association’s purpose. The IHA helps to preserve the cultural heritage of Illinois. Its mission is to stimulate an interest in this heritage and to provide technical assistance to organizations and individuals who work to preserve it. In the IHA’s view, cultural heritage encompasses historical records, decorative and fine arts, folk arts, material culture, and the built and natural environments. The IHA was established as a nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) status in 1981, when state support for cultural institutions was at a low ebb. The association’s founders believed there should be a history-related service organization independent of state government.

The IHA issues a printed newsletter six times a year. It contains news of exhibitions, conferences, educational programs, and other activities of cultural heritage organizations in Illinois and across the country.  Each printed newsletter contains a technical insert that addresses an area of concern for cultural heritage organizations.

Caron Primas Brennan

Caron Primas Brennan blogs as Your Cousin Caron.  Caron loves history, biography, puzzles and a good mystery, which makes her perfectly suited to genealogy research!  She has been researching her family history since a 6th grade school project got her interested.  Caron’s only vice is genealogy so she has subscriptions to many resources including Ancestry.com, Genealogybank.com, Fold3.com, and Newspapers.com.  She belongs to several local and regional genealogy groups as well as being a member of the Genealogical Speakers Guild and a Professional Member of the Association of Professional Genealogists.  She is currently the Recording Secretary and Society Liaison for the Illinois State Genealogical Society for 2018-2019; Facilitator for the Chicago Region of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) and is leading the Web Site Redesign Committee for the Chicago Genealogical Society.  She previously held Board positions at the Chicago Genealogical Society and CAGGNI (the Computer-Assisted Genealogy Group of Northern Illinois). When not working at her day job, researching her own family tree or making genealogy presentations, Caron may be researching for others or writing for her blogs!